Suspended milker



Sept. 16, 1952 c. A. THOMAS 2,610,609

SUSPENDED MILKER Filed Feb. 18, 1948 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET l p 1952 c. A. THOMAS 2,610,609

SUSPENDED MILKER Filed Feb. 18, 1948 2 SHEETSS!-IEET 2 Q 597/277/1'111 rllllllll fiver? 07" C/KQEZZ T%0/77Q6,

aeido fragmentary portion of the pail of the suspended milker with which the lid is associated; Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view of a lid comprising another modification or embodiment of my inventions; Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the lid shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of still another form of lid embodying my inventions.

In the embodiment of my inventions illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the milker pail H3, which is preferably circular in horizontal cross section (as illustrated for example in McCornack Patent No. 1,859,213), has in the top thereof an opening surrounded by the rolled bead or fiange Mia. The opening in the pail is closed by the lid here identified in general as A, the lid illustrated in the first two figures being of formed sheet metal, preferably stainless steel. Extending completely around the outer edge the lid is formed into a channel providing a'reces-s in the undersurface receiving the gasket II, which serves to provide a vacuum-tight seal between the 'lid and pail during use of the milker.

The front portion of the lid is provided with'a pulsator post 12 which supports the pulsator l3 and which acts as a vacuum passageway between the interior of the pailand passageways in the pulsator communicating with the vacuum hose M which is connected to a stall cock in the vacuum line,-or to any appropriate source of vacuum. The rear portion of the lid is provided with connector nipples l5a-d. In operation the ends" or tips of the inflations are slipped over the generally tubular connector nipples i5 and other tubes connect the shells tothe pulsator, as "by being slipped over the connector elements Ilia-d. The handle 21 facilitates handling of the lid.

When portions of the'lid are spoken of as front and rearf portions, these terms are being' used'in relation to the'cow. That is, the portion of the lid here being termed the front portion is that which is nearest to the front of the cow when the milker is suspended'in operative position; and the portion bein termedthe rear portion is that closest to the 'udder'in suchcase. 3 j y The'connector nipples l5 mustbe set at a small angle to the general plane of the lid in order to provide the proper direction ofpull on theteats, and to facilitate cut-off of the vacuum when one or more of the shells is removed from a teat and dropped. The main body of the connector nipples is generally tubular, and it has been found desirable in "practice to set them at an angle of about'22. /2 to the general plane of the lid. While the nipple angle shown in the above mentioned ,MeCornack Patent 1,859,213 was somewhat greater than this, commercial suspended milkers have for some time been made with the even smaller angles specifically mentioned immediately above. Where the connector nipple has been mounted directly in the lid, however, as is theonlypractical and satisfactory way, this small entry angle presented problems both in mounting;(generally affected by'welding) and in cleaning. v

I have found that I .can provide a greatly improved mounting connection betweenthe nipples and the lid, obviating the danger of small cracks or blow-holes at the point of welding (which became bacteria catch points), and greatly improving the case of cleaning, in the manner disclosed here. As can be best seen inFigure 2, a section of the rear portion of the lid (here identified as I1) is formed to extend upwardly with respect 1 to the general plane of the lid at an angle which is a complement to the angle at which it is desired to have the axes of the nipples. In the case mentioned, with the nipple axes extending to the rear at 22 to the general plane of the lid (the plane across the top of the bead Hla on which the lid rests), this wall ILwhile arcuate in shape, should at any given section point incline to the front at an angle of 6'7 /2 to the general plane of the lid. This enables the tubular body portions of the nipples IE to be mounted in the section I! at right angles to the wall at their point of mounting. This not only facilitates a perfect weld (which can be diflicult when working with stainless steel), but also provides a smooth inner surface such that when a large brush is used on the inner surface of the wall section I! there are no recessed portions of the surface which tend to be left uncleaned, the interiors of the nipples being cleaned by a small circular brush. This is not the situation with milker lids being used commercially at present, which have depressions in the lid adjacent the point of entry of the connectornipples which cannot be readily cleaned either by running a small brush through the nipples orby sweeping a large brush across the undersurface of the lid.

Connecting with the lid section I! and to the front thereof (to the right as the parts are viewed in Figure 2) is another generally angularlyarranged (although preferably slightly curved) section identified as [8. This section has several important functions. First, it, and more particularly its lower edge or junction point with the remaining portions of the lid (forming an arcuate apex line here identified as 18a) form barrier means between the connector nipple openings and the vacuum passageway 19 through the pulsator post l2. Second} by making this section H3 at an angle to the general plane of the lid smaller than that of the section [1, plenty of space is provided for convenient access'of a,

relatively large brush into the space between the undersides of these sections. The primary function of the relatively sharp apex or angle l8a between the junction of the wall section I8 and the adjacent section 20 is primarily to provide a drip edge or apexfacilitating dripping of milk therefrom; but it and the slight curvature of the section l8 also have a functionin strengthening the lid.

Extending entirely around near the outer edge of the lid, just to the inside of the channel receiving the gasket I I, is anotherapex or drip edge here identified as 2|. As may be best seen in Figure 1, the arcuate portion 18a joins with the front portion of this drip edge 2| to form a drip ring extending entirely around the vacuum passageway 19 through the post l2. v Moreover, the undersurface of the lid slopes upwardly at all points from the drip ring thus formed to the bottom of the vacuum passageway l9, the angle of the front section 22 beingsomewhat greaterthan that of the section 20 because the pulsator post and vacuum passageway are not, in the form here illustrated, exactly centered in the drip ring surrounding the passageway; but I preferto have the angle of the undersurface of the wall between any point in such dripfring and the bottom of the vacuum passageway at least of the of 15. e v

The downwardly depending apex portion Hia providesbarrier. means extending entirely across the lid between the connector nipples and the order vacuum passageway with'it's d'r-ip edge :well belowa plane through the center- 'of 'the nipple' openings. (at their point of juncture-with the lid) and the bottom endof the vacuum passageway I 9 Milkentering-:- the pail during each; cycle" ofipulsator -operatibn entersathroughtthe nipples with quite I being carried to the; bottom endoi the; vacuum passagewanandbeing drawn'cup;therein:v Theuse, ofibarnienmeanszwhichzlfamillustrating, with the drip: ring: extending; entirely. around the vacuum :passageway 'and. thezlid sloping; upwardly from such;dripring to theibottomiend of thepassageway,. results iniobviating, thisldifficulty. In many testswith this type of lid I: have; found that. the undersurface. of the: lid for-1a: substantial space around. thebott0mend of the vacuum passageway remains-completely and; with the, ex-

ceptionofi one instance. where a .trace of milk appeared'imthewacuumhose asthe-result ofsome exceptional condition; I- havenever. found milk in the pulsator or vacuum; hose in avery. considerable numberof' testmilkings-witha. milker having thislidz- When? I: speak-of; a drip 1 ring; around the -vacu- ,umn -passagewayhit will be -understood that I use the word; ring-3; in; the broadsense of any drip edge which surrounds; thepassageway; and not with; any intent todimittheshape to a true circle, asithe:configuration may be oval elliptical or in factialmost, any shape: providing a closedv figure. Reierringgnow more particularly to the front portion; of the: lid; to; the right as: viewedin Figure 2, the pulsator seal andthe-checkvalve arrangement associated with my pulsator post l2 also embody substantial improven'ients', and thesei-will nowc be described. 7 I

Referring v nowparticularly to Figure 2,, it. will be seenthatthe pulsatorv I3 islprovidedf with a downwardly extending; centraL bore or passagewayadapted toreceive the pulsatorv post. vl Lthis bore. being; here identified as, lac It tapers 'in flange, portion [2a of the pulsator post this'being circular except, for th'el notch Ha. best seen in Figured. When thepulsator IS'isbeing put in operative: position on'the milker lid it wouldfbe putrdown. over the. post. l2 in a position 90 counterclockwise fromthat shown in Figure 1, so thatfthe pin, 13b; passes by. the flange [2a in the notched. portion thereof}, andthen the pulsator is turned tothe position illustrated in Figure 1, resulting in a positivelocking of the pulsat'or on the post: by' virtue oftheengagement of the pin witl'lthe undersideoi the: flange IZ'a: Below-the reduced neckportion [2b of the post (provided 'topermit rotation of" the pin belowf the flange) the posthas; a; lowercylindri'cal portion- [2c of substantial diameter The pulsator carries an annular sealor gasket 24' having whatmaybe termed a generally- L-shaped section. The upwardly extendingportion ofith'is' gasket 24 is i received in a recess or; groove ltbg-which is V'- nofichedin its outer' wall, the: adjacent portion of somewhatatthe topgm closelyv receive the upper the gasket; having: a similarlyiiformed: section soathat; once; it snapped in placeiit remainszwith the: pulsationv.cluring; removal-:3 and-:' replacement thereon horizontally extending, or; lower portioniofiathegaskets.extends out beneathith'er bottom surfaceiof' theav pulsator' to; some; extent. and the parts are so proportioned that; the gasketi of: an resilient; material: suchassynthcticxruhber. .mustzibe; compressed slightly in order: fonath'ezpin to tum:- henealth i theflange; lZ'ajz There isthus not; only-:aiseahbetweerr the'routersurfacc-oir the seotiomlic; ofthei pulsatonnost and the; gasket.

but alsoiaepotsitively nressedi sea1..between. thebottom; of; thenulsaton and: the: annular: section rol nd, therpulsator nes thisrsmall; annulanseee :tion oft-the;- lidloeing;perpendicularntog'thei'axis-of prises an; upper valve head, 2 5a, amelativelw slen; V

der stem; or; connectin portion. 25b; and a; relatively heavy lowen cylindrical; portion 25% The headgportion: 25a is preferably;- ofi synthetic rubber; org;- equivalent material}; as;- I have foundia that armetalgcheckvalvehasartendencyitozdeak; under the; CDHdiIiiOnS-T encountered; in. use: ofmilkersof" theontype-with:v which i I: amrihere; concerned; and ,thewportions 2.512-and25o: areipreierably ofrstalm less: steel: The; slender stemz portion 2512; pro evid'es plenty of. spacejtherearound fonn s ze air. throughltheupper-smaller-portiomon the'pa-sisagewaya-lil; during: operation otthe; milkerr hile have-athe. vacuum pump and; vacuu the: lower: cylindrical portion: 25c; of" greater? d1;- ameten provides sufficient weight, inzlrelatibneto thei area; of they top: shoulder; 011:"; seat; on which the: valve member'zfxa SfiaitSgtO causezthe: check I valve. to" operate at: ale-pressure; differential. prefierably' amounting to about zfinw of; an; inchv tor an of: mercury; In operatiomiti a; vacuumicorresponding to about-lfirinches of mercury; and; under these conditions; thesomer what:- lesser: vacuum existing; inthe; bucket: (the througlrthe pulsator post,;so thatthe-valve can be? removedlfrom the. lid; after; the; pulsatorsha's been: removed, merely; b t-grasping; it: by the; head and lifting it up; the lower cylindrlcalportion 25c coming up'through the post readily. This is: of great importance in insuring proper cleanlinessi of the valve and of. the interior of the: pulsator post; since when thevalve has-been removed it can be washed with ease, and the passageway through the puls'ator post can be: readily cleaned with a brush of the type used'for cleaning. the

inflation tubes and the 1 connector-nipples; To-

' the best of my knowledge all previous weight actuated check valves. in milkers have been of such construction: as not to bereadilyremovable from the 1id',-and such as to hinderfull and .properclea'ningof thelid; 7

7 Since there is an. ever increasing emphasison av low bacteria count in milk, such improvements as vIhave here disclosed which facilitatecleaning both around-the connector. nipples. and in and-iaround the vacuum passageway are of considerable importance in; the production of .high

.qualityinilk. Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, another modification of my inventions will be: illustrated. The lid shown in these figures is preferably of a transparent plastic which enables the operator to readily watch the flow of milk from each quarter of the udder during milking, the lid being used inaconjunction with a standard stainless Steel bucketf The plastic of Which'the lid is formed, in addition to being transparent should beimpervious and unaifected by milk, nonshattering, unaffected by hot or boiling water or by the cleaning compounds which maybe used, and non-cold-fiowing. Such a materia1, for example, is the acrylic resin thermoplastic "soldunder the trade name of Plexiglas. This modification or form of improved lid has not only the advantages described in more detail in connection with the first form, but incorporates even increased protection against undesired flow of milk-from the nipples to'the vacuum passageway by providing barrier means comprising two drip edges on the lower surface. I In order to facilitate reference backto earlier portions of the specifications if desired, reference numerals used on corresponding parts of the lid here being described will be one hundred higher than those'heretofore used for analogous parts. The' lid, here identified in general as A, again includesa channel or recess around its outer edge in the'lower surface receiving the gasket HI and it is provided with a pulsator post identified in general as 112. This post' is preferably of metal-and may be provided witha knurled lower end to insure a tight and rigid bond between it and thethermopl'as'tic material in which it is set." I Connector nipples. Had-d, also shown as 'provided with' knurled ends, are set in a wall section l I1 which" extends upwardly 'from the g'eneral'plane of the lid at. an angle which is a complement of: the angle of the connector nipple axes-The lid section I I1. and the adjacent lid section I 18 again provide an arrangement wheree in 'the nipplesen'ter the .wall section in. which they are mounted at right angles and wherein the undersurfaceat their point of entry may be readily cleaned. The lid section H8 drops down to abarrier means-or depending dripapex 8a which, as may be best seen 'in Figure 3, extends entirely-across the milker lid-between :the connector-nipples and-the pulsator post. or vacuum passageway member H2. In addition, this'latter is surrounded by another depending edge forming a drip'ring I30, there thus being a double barrier to milk which might tend to flow across the undersurface of the lid toward the vacuum passageway.

Just to the inside of the gasket IIII isprovided a drip ring or depending annular apex here identifiedaslZlx' However, in thecaseof thelid here being'shown, this drip ring. is broken or recessed at tworpoints, here identified as l2 Ia, and I2 lb; These breaksior notches are provided to facilitate removal of the gasket, the breaks in the ringbeing preferably slightly wider than a finger so :that the gasketjmay be readily snapped-out of its recess during the washing, operation. ;The

compared to the total circumference of the drip ring; that there is very little space for milk to get in under the gasket;

. Referring, now to Figurefi, another-form, of metal .lid is shown which is somewhat similar to thati-llustrated inFiguresl and 2 and described fully earlier. It differsfrom the first form principally in the provision of a drip edge or drip ring around the vacuum passageway whiehis lower to. the front of, the lid-than to the rear thereof, so that any, milk collecting on the drip ring tends to work around this edgeto the front of thelid (out of the flow of air from the nipples to the vacuum passageway) and drop off there without any tendency to; be blown orforced onto a surface of the lid leading toward the vacuum passageway. 1i, .5 1 1 Referring now tothis last form of lid, and using reference numerals two hundred higher for parts'a'nalogous to those-shown in Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the lid has a'section 2]! meeting a section 2 [:8, and that the latter, at the point of juncture with the section22il, provides a drip edge 2 Ida somewhat lower and .more accentuated than that inthe first described-form. To the otherside of the vacuum post 2l2 (to'the right as viewed in Figure 5), the section 222 drops at'a quite sharp angle and .to agreater extent to form, in conjunction with the section 232, a front drip edge'22l which is substantially lower (when thegeneral plane of the lid is horizontal) than the drip edge 218a. This construetion results in milk'droplets which form on the edge 218a and which do-not immediately drop therefrom running around to the lower drip edge portion 22l where they are out of the path of air flowing from the nipples 2 IE to the vacuum passageway H9, and where'they may gather'to a size sufficient to drip off without-any tendency to be forced toward the vacuum passageway.

While I have shown and described certain ernbodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, inthe construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the'spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed 'inthe appended claims. 1

l. A lid for a suspended milker, comprising a rear portion having connector nippIesm'ounted therein and opening therethr'ough, said connector nipples being generally tubular and having their axes at a' srnall angle to the general plane of the lid, the? lid having a portion "in which the nipples are mounted so inclined to said general plane thatthe axes of the nipples are substantially perpendicular thereto, and alfront portion having a vacuum passageway opening therethrough, said lid having a configuration to provide a downwardly extending drip ring around said'passa'geway; the lid sloping gradually from the portion in which. the nipples are mounted to the drip ring to provide easy cleaning access to said nipples" andthe undersurface of the lid therearound.-

2. An integralshe'et metal lid for. a suspended milker, comprising a-rear portion having con.- hector nipples mounted therein and opening therethrough, said connector nipples being generally tubular and having their axes at a small angle'to the general plane of the lid, the-lid having a single arcuate portion in' which the nipples are mountedso inclined to said general plane that .theaxes of the nipples are substantially perpendicular' thereto, and a front portion having a vacuum passageway opening therethrough, said lid having a configuration to provide a downwardly extending drip ring around said passageway, the lid sloping gradually from the section in which the nipples are mounted to the drip ring to provide easy cleaning access to said nipples and the undersurface of the lid therearound, and at least the undersurface of saidlicl sloping downwardly in all directions from said vacuum passageway opening.

3. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid is of transparent material.

4. A lid for a suspended milker, comprising a rear portion having spaced connector nipples mounted therein and opening therethrough, said connector nipples being generally tubular and having their axes at a small angle to the general plane of the lid, the lid having the portion in which all the nipples are mounted raised and of a single arcuate shape with the axis of each a single arcuate shape with the axis of each nipple being substantially perpendicular to a plane tangent to said raised portion at the point of connection of the nipple to said raised portion, a front portion having a vacuum passageway opening therethrough; said passageway being located approximately between the ends of said arcuate portion, and a downwardly extending drip ring entirely around said passageway.

6. A lid for a suspended milker, comprising a rear portion having spaced connector nipples mounted therein and opening therethrough, said connector nipples being generally tubular and having their axes at a small angle to the general plane of the lid, the lid having the portion in which all the nipples are mounted raised and of a single arcuate shape with the axis of each nipple being substantially perpendicular to a plane tangent to said raised portion at the point of connection of the nipple to said raised portion, a front portion having a vacuum passageway opening therethrough, and a downwardly extending drip bafile means between said raised arcuate portion and said vacuum passageway opening.

7. A lid for asuspended milker, comprising a rear portion having a plurality of spaced con- 10 nector nipples mounted therein and opening therethrough, said connector nipples being generally tubular and having their axes at a small angle to the general plane of the lid, the lid having the portion in which a plurality of the nipples are mounted raised and of a single arcuate shape with the axis of each nipple therein being substantially perpendicular to a plane tangent to said raised portion at the point ofv connection of the nipple thereto, the lid sloping relatively gradually from the'portion in which the nipples are mounted to provide a readily ac cessible area of substantial size facilitating easy cleaning of the portion in which the nipples are mounted; I

8. A lid for a suspended milker, comprising a rear portion having nipples mounted therein and opening therethrough, said nipples being generally tubular and having their axes at a small angle to the general plane of the lid, and a front portion having a vacuum passageway opening therethrough, said lid having a dome-like configuration with said vacuum passageway opening at the apex thereof and providing a structurally integral drip ring with a downwardly extending annular apex entirely around and substantially spaced from said vacuum passageway opening. CHESTER A. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 917,386 Webb Apr. 6, 1909 1,121,261 Lawrence Dec. 15, 1914 1,647,971 Schmitt Nov. 1, 1927 1,653,755 Babson Dec. 27, 1927 1,786,846 Hodsdon Dec. 30, 1930 1,829,567 Maynard Oct. 27, 1931 1,849,672 Jansson Mar. 15, 1932 1,859,213 McCornack May 17, 1932 1,859,214 McCornack May 17, 1932 1,921,533 Maynard Aug. 8, 1933 2,032,375 Moore Mar.3, 1936 2,116,705 Marx et a1. May .10, 1938 2,304,746 Anderson Dec. 8, 1942 2,345,963 Conde Apr. 4, 1944 2,358,037 Sunderland Sept. 12, 1944 2,427,312 Thompson et al. Sept. 9, 1947 2,464,917 Babson Mar. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 25,905 New Zealand May 4, 1909 28,622 Denmark 1 Oct. 3, 1921 32,152 Denmark Aug. 13, 1923 

